In about two months life is going to change for our family. If all goes as planned, on or about July 24th Katherine Leigh Harper is expected to make her entrance into this world kicking and screaming. Her Poppa Stick just can’t wait.
I had to wait longer than most to be a grandfather. My first wife and I waited almost 7 years before we had our one and only, Meredith. My wife and her first husband were also a little later in life having the two boys I now think of as my own.
Then Meredith and Taylor didn’t have their first until 2013. Although I would have preferred not to have had a grandchild in any year ending in 13, I never expressed those fears to anyone until now. Unless I am mistaken, no black cats were present at the birth.
As it turns out Owen Keaton Harper is the joy of my life despite the year of his birth. I wouldn’t change a thing about him, except maybe to give him a manlier haircut. As much as I love the curls, I hate it when people say, “She’s Beautiful!”
Curls aside, Owen is, in this writer’s eyes, perfect. I worry how he will take to being a big brother. Up to now he has the undivided attention of all who love and claim kin, especially his mother. He is an easy child to love and the more he talks, the more engaging he becomes. And he’s easy on the eyes, too. I’m worried that he will be jealous, but to their credit his parents have done all they can to prepare him for the big event.
I’ve also worried how I could possibly love another baby as much as I love Owen. I have been assured that no one has ever had a problem doing so. My sainted Grandmother Miller had so many grandchildren she had to have had favorites, but she treated all of us equally. Loving children has always been one of my strong suits, so I’m really not overly concerned.
Of course every parent and grandparent wants a healthy and perfect grandchild. I know it doesn’t always work out that way. In this day of sonograms and “underwater” photography Kate appears great. Even if she looks like Mike Tyson I know I’ll love her just the same.
So we are planning all our events around that date in July. Camping trips, visits with friends and weddings, all have to take a backseat to the birth of the princess. Since Owen is much more attractive than Prince George, I’m betting that Kate will knock the socks off Princess Charlotte.
In reality, I know none of that really matters.
Nothing matters except that both mother and daughter experience the miracle of birth uncomplicated. Nothing matters but hearing those first breaths and the cry from the delivery room. In fact, nothing in this life matters except the people love and those who come into and out of our lives.
Owning my motor home has taught me a lot of things, but I think the most important I’ve learned is that “it is all about the people”. It is hard to meet people in a campground who are not nice. Most are more than friendly – even the Yankees, bless their hearts. I also know from experience that while it is easy to make friends in a campground, it is incredibly easy to love a child.
I was way down in the pecking order when Owen was born. I’m not sure why, but uncles and cousins and all the other grandparents got to hold him before I did. This time it’s going to be different. Y’all better get out of the way and count on old Poppa Stick being at the head of the line for Princess Kate.
And I’m going to spoil her rotten.
Note: Kate Harper was born on June 23, 2015. She joins her brother Owen in making my life a joy.
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